


Can't Fight the Darkness

by DemonOfEden



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Brainwashing, F/M, M/M, Man from Uncle AU, Multi, Reylux - Freeform, Tragedy, mindwashing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-02
Updated: 2016-12-02
Packaged: 2018-09-06 01:45:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8729809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DemonOfEden/pseuds/DemonOfEden
Summary: Ben Solo and Armitage Hux were rival agents in the Resistance, pushing each other and fighting for who was the best. They're sent on a mission to retrieve a scavenger girl from the deserts of Jakku. None of them expect to fall for each other. But the mission turns out to be far more dangerous than they could have anticipated. There were rumors about Snoke's ability to wield the force and alter the minds of those around him. After Snoke captures them and messes with Hux and Rey's mind, Ben is the only one left who can save them. But can he defeat the power of the Supreme Leader?





	

There had been rumors that the Supreme Leader Snoke of the First Order had reality altering powers. The Resistance had barely understood Jedi powers and assumed that the accounts of Snoke’s power were exaggerated or a myth perpetuated by the First Order itself. General Organa herself had conceived a mission to infiltrate the Order with their best agents and a lost descendant of Snoke’s, thinking they could use the girl against him. 

It was the biggest mistake they’d ever made. 

When they had picked her up in the desert, Ben Solo had no idea it would change the entire course of his life and that of the galaxy. Ben was one of the best agents in the Resistance, despite the shit people gave him for working for his mother. He’d been tempted by the dark side his entire life. He had no idea that love would be what ultimately would turn him away from the light, away from his family. Betraying the very people he cared about. 

Ben piloted the small cruiser back to Jakku. Rey was asleep in the back. She had been ever since Snoke had wiped her mind of the events in the past few months, since he and Agent Armitage Hux had fought over who would retrieve her from Jakku. 

Ben had argued and fought with his mother when he’d been forced to work with Armitage, since they’d been rivals from day one. Ben Solo was the best, Armitage Hux was the second best. Obviously Armitage didn’t think he was second in anything. The arrogant prick, Ben thinks sadly. 

He told himself he’d always have the memories. The first time he’d shared a hotel room with Rey when he was undercover as her fiancé, he’d thought her manners were atrocious. But eventually she grew on him. His rivalry with Armitage had evolved from rivalry, to respect, to friendship and soon… to something more. 

Ben had been fearless before. But now he had to protect Rey and Armitage. The mission the Resistance sent them on a mission with far greater risk than they could have anticipated. They never should have walked into an audience with Snoke. It had been their downfall. And now they were all paying for it. 

Ben lands the craft outside of the AT-AT where Rey had made her home. He picked her up and carried her inside, setting her down gently. He hugs her tightly, wishing she were awake, wishing she were playfully pushing him or wrestling with him. He knows that when she sees him again, she won’t remember him. She will fear him. He will be a faceless enemy. 

Being Snoke’s descendant hadn’t saved her at all. That’s where they made their mistake. Assuming Snoke had a heart even for his own family. Underestimating his power. 

Ben pulls himself away from Rey. Dropping her back off to her lonely home was the saddest he’d ever felt in his life. He wanted to run back and take her to safety. But he had to hide her from Snoke. He’d be looking for his great gran daughter, to corrupt her, to torment her. How could they ever have been so naive?

The moment they’d walked into the audience chamber, Ben had known something was wrong. Snoke had seen right through their covers. He had wanted Rey, but he despised her light and wanted to destroy it. The days he spent tormenting her and then wiping her mind of all her good memories… Ben shook his head. He couldn’t think about this now. 

He had one more person to save. To protect. He hijacks a TIE fighter and flies in with a formation, arriving in one of the massive hangars on Starkiller Base. He’d dropped Rey off for safety, he had to return for Armitage who was still being held prisoner. He exited the TIE fighter, his heart beating in the hopes that Armitage was still alive. 

He moves through the corridors, dipping in and out of the troopers minds, until he finds an officer who has the information he’s looking for. The location of Armitage Hux. He’s still alive. Ben wants to cry tears of happiness. When he got Armie out of here, they would return for Rey. They would restore her memories. 

And somehow, they would all three be together. Rey could study with his Uncle Luke while he and Armie pushed each other to constantly become better agents. He thinks of the first time he kissed Armie. 

They were hiding out in a hotel on Corellia, after running from Kanji Club and they were all dead tired. Rey had fallen asleep between the two of them. Ben had been exhausted from the day’s mission. Somebody had to pull guard and Ben had expected an argument, but Armie just lightly shook his head and put his hand on Ben’s shoulder. 

“Go to sleep. I’ll watch over you and you can take the next shift.” Armie’s voice had a gentler quality than Ben had ever heard before. 

“But you’re exhausted too. I can—“ Armie silenced him by putting a finger over his lips. 

“Sleep, Ben.” 

Ben caught Armie’s hand, holding it there, staring at the ginger haired man who had been his rival for years. A thorn in his side. Now caressing the side of his face. Before Ben had a chance to register, Armie had leaned over Rey’s sleeping form to place a kiss on Ben’s lips. 

Ben silently kissed him back, the two of them kissing slowly as if afraid they’d wake from a dream and be rivals again. Ben had quickly fallen asleep and they’d never talked about that kiss. 

But it had continued, stealing kisses here and there. Then Rey noticing and… And, well, it had all ben quite chaste. But there was a deep love growing between them. Ben didn’t understand it, but knew he needed it to continue. Needed to grow it. It had made him feel alive in ways he never had. 

The first time he and Armie had slept together was a memory he would cherish. Ben and Rey had already been intimate, and Armie had tried to maintain his professionalism and distance, but they were quickly growing on him… Ben could tell that Armie felt uncertain how he fit into the dynamic. Armie still didn’t think he belonged there despite all the stolen kisses…

Armie had been sitting outside in the snow when Ben ran after him. 

“Why are you out here freezing?” Ben asked. 

Armie shook his head. “To remind myself.” 

“Of what?” 

“You know what, Ben. I don’t belong in there with the two of you. This mission will be over and you two will be together and I… well, maybe I’ll be the best agent in the Resistance when you’re distracted with your love…” Armie’s words were cut off by Ben’s fervent kiss. 

Ben gropes Armie, holding him tightly, squeezing his arms, sticking his warm tongue into Armie’s mouth… When Ben finally pulls away and Hux is looking at him, bewildered with his beautiful rosy cheeks… 

“How can you say that?” Ben says. “I’m not letting you go.” 

He straddles Hux. The snow falls around them, but they don’t notice it. Don’t notice the cold as they kiss, being warmed by each other. It’s Hux who finally has some sense to incline his head towards the shuttle. 

After they’ve entered and started the heater running, Armie frowns at Ben. “Why are you doing this? Don’t you love her?” 

“She loves you too.” Ben pushes Armie down, straddling him. “And so do I.” 

Both Ben and Rey had promised to never let Armie go. They would find a way to be together. Somehow. Even though the mission to kill Snoke was still hanging over their heads. How naive they were. 

Which is why Ben had to rescue Armie. There was no time to alert the Resistance. He was certain Snoke had spies even there. Ben would infiltrate as he had before and sneak Armie out. 

He walks along corridors that are not leading to the prison cells like he expected. If Ben guessed correctly, he was finding himself in the officer’s quarters. Why would they keep Armie there? It was Ben’s first inkling that something was wrong. 

He approached the door where Armie was being held. The room required an access key and Ben didn’t have time to find one. He pulled out his light saber and slashed at the door, sparks flying, until it opened. 

He stepped inside. Clearly high ranking officer’s quarters. Ben was impressed if this was how they housed their officers. 

Ben’s heart stops when he sees Armie… but Armie doesn’t look like himself. Armie’s face is screwed up into a scowl, directed at him, and he wore the grey uniform of a high ranking First Order officer. Of a General… 

“What are you doing in my quarters, trooper?” Armie asks with a sneer. 

Ben forgets he’s wearing the stormtrooper disguise. He takes his helmet off and approaches Armie. “Armie?” he asks softly. 

Armie’s face scowls harder, if that were even possible. “How dare you use that name. General Hux to you. What is your number? I will have you arrested and executed for barging in here like that.” 

“Armie, it’s me… Ben. Don’t you remember?” 

“Oh, I remember you. Ben Solo. Son of General Organa. Here to assassinate me? You’re doing a terrible job. The guards are already on their way to have you arrested.” 

Ben throws the helmet down and runs to Armie, wrapping his arms around him. “Armie, don’t you remember me? It was Snoke! He did something to you…” 

General Hux pushes Ben away viciously, nearly snarling. He pulls out a knife and Ben backs away, narrowly avoiding being cut across the face. “Don’t you dare touch me, rebel scum.” 

Alarms sound and and squad of troopers rush in, aiming their blasters at Ben. Ben raises his light saber, ready to fight. 

“I’d drop that if I were you. You’ll never leave here alive,” General Hux sneers. “Supreme Leader has requested that we bring the prisoner to him.”

Ben powers down the light saber. “Take me to him.” 

Hux walks in front of Ben and takes it from his hands. “Wise choice.” 

The stormtroopers surround Ben, while Hux moves out of the way, shouting orders. “Strip the armor off him. Make sure he’s in chains. And don’t be gentle.” 

As they move through the corridor, Ben is beaten and pushed repeatedly by the stormtroopers. Each time Armie… No, Hux, pretends not to notice. Occasionally looking back and smirking or sneering… This was not Armie anymore… This wasn’t the same man Ben knew at all… The man Ben fell in love with…

Ben cries out as he is tripped and hits his knees on the ground. Hux turns around and walks back, grabs Ben’s hair and viciously tilts his head up. “Having trouble walking, Jedi?” Hux sneers and spits in Ben’s face. He walks away. “Drag him if you must.” 

The stormtroopers practically drag Ben the rest of the way. By the time they arrive in front of Snoke’s audience chamber, Ben is beaten and bloodied. It takes all his focus and effort just to stand. He is weakened more by the looks Hux gives him than by the beatings. 

Each time is like a knife in his heart… a feeling of utter disbelief and hopelessness falls over Ben.. Could he fix this? Fix Rey, fix Armie… it was overwhelming. Everything he’d attained, everything he worked for, everyone he loved was falling apart in front of him…. 

Ben is pulled into the audience room. The troopers throw him to his knees in front of Hux. Ben can only stare at the ground as they leave the chamber. 

It goes quiet. The silence welcome after the sound of marching and beating… Ben looks up, tears falling down his bloodied face as he stares up at Hux. 

“You look utterly pathetic,” Hux says. Then turns and looks up. Ben follows his gaze where a giant hologram of Snoke appears, peering down at them. 

Hux snaps to attention. “Supreme Leader.” 

“Very good, General. I see you have had no problems capturing the rebel spy.” 

“He was quite inept.” Hux pulls out Ben’s lightsaber and presents it to Snoke. “He had one of these. I believe he is Ben Solo, General Organa’s Jedi son…” 

Snoke flinches at the sight of the lightsaber. “Destroy it, General. I’ll not have such an artifact here.” 

Ben stares up at Hux, imploring him to remember. “Armie, this isn’t who you are. You’re not a general… You’re one of us. You’re mine…” 

Hux sneers and the Supreme Leader laughs, a dark cackle filling the room, disrupting the silence that Ben had so enjoyed. 

“Who are you loyal to, General Hux?” 

“To you, Supreme Leader, and to the First Order.” 

“And what is your mission, General?”

“To bring Order to the galaxy and annihilate all resistance.” The finality in Hux’s tone causes Ben to flinch. How had Snoke done this?

Ben tries once more. “Don’t you remember, Rey? Sweet Rey, who we ate strawberries with? Who had never been swimming in her life…” 

“General, shut him up,” Snoke says. 

Hux turns to Ben and smacks him hard across the face. He grabs Ben’s hair and yanks his head back. Hux shoves the light saber into Ben’s mouth. “Is this to your liking, Supreme Leader?” 

Snoke cackles. “Very good, General. One last thing… would you kill this man if I asked?” 

“If you asked? I would gladly kill him.” He shoves the saber into Ben’s mouth further. Ben is nearly choking, unable to breath. His teeth feel like they’re going to break. 

“Leave us alone, General.” 

Hux looks slightly confused, but pulls the saber out of Ben’s mouth and turns heel towards the door. Ben’s head drops as he listens to Armie’s foot steps slowly fade away… The great door opening and closing. Leaving him alone with this monster. Ben has never felt so broken and beaten in his entire life. He wanted to cry, but the pain ripping him apart was too big for tears. 

He would have wanted to die. But Rey and Armie were still out there and he had to help them… had to do something. He was the only one left. He was broken from his thoughts by the sound of light foot steps surrounding him. 

He looks up and a group of knights in black are starting to surround him. He knows this is the end for him. He rises to his knees and makes his face stoic. He would accept his death if he must. But he would try… He stares up defiantly at Snoke. 

Snoke takes a deep breath. “You’re in pain…” Snoke seemed to enjoy his agony. “That is good. Your friends have abandoned you.” 

“They didn’t. You did something to them.” 

“I only brought out their true natures.” 

“And Rey? She was good and you couldn’t destroy the light in her.” 

“Enough. You will train with us or your friends will die. As long as you stay, your precious Armie will work for me as my General. He is supremely talented. Now the two best agents in the resistance work for me now.” 

“What have you done to him?” Ben hangs his head in pain. 

“He believes he’s always worked for me. His loyalty lies with me now. I guess his love for you was not strong enough to overcome my mind wash.” 

“You are truly evil.” 

“Meet your new family now…. The Knights of Ren.” 

The knights tower over Ben and he is truly frightened. Trapped. What could he do to get out? 

“Your friends never cared for you. They only used you,” Snoke whispered seductively. 

“They never cared for me,” Ben said. 

“Your family only used you in the unnecessary war with the Empire. They only wanted your power.” 

Ben shook his head. Blood dripping from his mouth. “They only wanted power… My mother… The Resistance…” 

“You are nothing to them. They won’t miss you when they never see you again.” 

“I am nothing…” Ben whispers. A hollowness grows in his chest. He feels like he’s just been pushed off a cliff. 

“Armitage Hux despises you.” 

“No… he can’t… he hates me…” 

“You belong to me now.” 

Ben looks up at the Supreme Leader. “I belong to you now.” 

Snoke cackles. He motions to the knights… “Give him the helmet. None shall see your face. Your name shall never be uttered within the First Order.” 

The knights set a dark helmet in front of Ben. He stares at it, horrified. It seemed stifling and constraining. He picks it up tentatively and places it over his head. He looks at the world through different eyes now. It is dark, but somehow… better. Nobody could see the pain he was in. He felt like a different person. 

Snoke waves his hand. “Rise… Kylo Ren.” 

_________________

Rey stared up at the sky. She felt an emptiness in her chest. When she woke up that morning, she was crying, but she didn’t know why. She felt hollow inside… like something precious had been taken from her. 

One of her scavenger friends, Netta, hit her arm. Rey quickly got back to scrubbing rust off the spare parts. 

“Where have you been?” Netta asked. “You’ve been missing for months. I never thought you’d come back.” 

Rey shakes her head. “I don’t know.” And she truly didn’t. She didn’t know where the time had gone… She only knew of fuzzy, vague emotions… People who cared for her… Danger… 

“How did you get back?” Netta asked, still scrubbing at the parts. 

“Somebody dropped me off, I think….” 

“Who?” 

Rey pauses in her work and stares back up at the sky. She knows she’s missing something. There was somebody… “Someone who loved me.” 

She shook her head. No. It must have been her imagination. She continues working. Continues surviving. They would come back for her. Some day.


End file.
